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St.Grellan,PatronofHy-Maine, counties of Galway and Roscommon. John O’Hanlon [Fifth or Sixth centuries.] CHAPTER I. Introduction—Hy-Maine, its boundaries and original inhabitants—The Firbolgs—Maine Mor succeeds and gives name to the territory—Afterwards occupied by the O’Kellys— Authorities for the acts of St. Grellan—His descent and birth—Said to have been a disciple of St. Patrick—A great miracle wrought by St. Grellan at Achadh Fionnabrach. OF this holy man Lives have been written ; while one of them is to be found in a Manu- script of the Royal Irish Academy, [1] and another among the Irish Manuscripts, in the Royal Library of Bruxelles. Extracts containing biographical memoranda relating to him are given by Colgan, [2] and in a much fuller form by Dr. John O’Donovan, as taken from the Book of Lecan. [3] There is also a notice of him, in the “ Dictionary of Christian Biography.” [4] Colgan promised to present his Life in full, at the 10th of November ; but he did not live to fulfil such promise. Besides the universal reverence and love, with which Ireland regards the memory of her great Apostle, St. Patrick, most of our provincial districts and their families of distinction have patron saints, for whom a special veneration is entertained. Among the latter, St. Grellan’s name is connected with his favoured locality. The extensive territory of Hy-Many is fairly defined, [5] by describing the northern line as running from Ballymoe, County of Galway, to Lanesborough, at the head of Lough Ree, on the River Shannon, and in the County of Roscommon. It extended nearly due east and west, taking in all the southern part of this last-named county. The eastern boundary ran along the River Shannon’s course, from Lanesborough to Scariff, in Clare County, and west of Lough Derg. Thence, the southern and western boundaries proceeded by Feacle, on Lough Graney, County of Clare, and passed some distance west of Loughrea to Athenry ; thence, they continued through Killererin parish, near Tuam, and on to Ballymoe. All of these last-mentioned localities are situated within the County of Galway. [6] The earliest noted aboriginal inhabitants of this great extent of country were the Firbolgs, who were also a race of people tributary to the Kings of Conn-aught. [7] These are thought to have been the successors of Partholan and his followers, who are regarded as being the earliest colonists of Ireland ; [8] but all of whom perished in a great plague that came into the island. [9] Before this occurred, however, their rule had been dis- turbed by the Fomorians, thought to have been pirates from Africa. The northern as well as eastern nations most generally commenced their historic pedigree with a deity ; or, at least, they ascribe to their first founders heroic qualities or virtues, closely bordering on the pos- session of supernatural powers. So have we a variety of bardic stories, giving very circum- stantial accounts, regarding the migrations of our ancient colonists ; but, we have good reasons for supposing those narratives are largely mythological in character. Legends are framed for the acts of our earlier heroes, as history fails to shed light on their period, now so remote from our own times. About the year of the world 2029, [10] aScythian[11] hero, known as Nemed or Nenidh, signifying “ the holy one,” brought a number of colonists with him into Ireland. He is said to have been remotely related to Partholan, if not a direct descendant. His name has been Latinized in latter days into Nemethus or Nemidius. With four sons, and a fleet of thirty-four ships, each containing thirty persons, he arrived in Ireland, from the Euxine Sea. Finding the island without inhabitants, these took possession and settled therein ; at the same time, they began to clear away the thick woods in many places, and to improve the soil by cultivation. [12] We are told, likewise, that Nemed employed master-builders, distinguished by the name of Fomhoraicc, to erect royal seats for his purpose. After a time, his people were much an- noyed by pirates called Fomorians. These wasted the coasts by their inroads, and the interior they even harassed. Nemed fought four battles with them ; he was successful in the first three ; but he was defeated in the last battle, when his son Art, who had been born in Ireland, was slain with most of his people. [13] This so afflicted the king that he died of grief. [14] Should we follow the authority of bardic history, the Nemedians were exterminated. Ireland was again left to its native woods, and a wilderness [15] during two hundred years or more ; while, according to certain computations, four hundred and twelve years [16] passed away, before it was again inhabited. O’Flaherty does not say a word respecting the fate of the Foghmoruicc, [17] by some confounded with the Fomorians, and by others distinguished from them. After a succession of ages, the Scuits, Scythians, or Scots, who had migrated to Ireland, are also called Gaidelians and Phenians ; while these appellations denote a mixture of Celts, Scythians, and Phoenicians from that part of the Continent whence these arrived. [18] In the remote periods dialectic incorporations were common among the Celts and Scythians, especially in Spain, where the latter settled, and whence the Scoto-Milesian colony came. Frequent mention of the Firbolgs, or Bolgæ, occurs in our ancient Irish poems and annals. Whether they preceded or followed the Celts in Ireland has been a matter of controversy among modern historians. [19] The Firbolgs are called also Sial m Bolgæ, and Slioght m Bealidh. These people were in- vaded by the Tuatha De Danann, known as the People of the Gods of Danann, daughter of Dalbaoit, and said to have been descended from Nemed. Her sons are thought to have been famous for sorceries and necromatic powers, which arts were communicated to their descend- ants. The Tuatha De Danann are thought to have invaded Ireland A.M. 2737. [20] Regarding the origin of the name Bolgæ, however, the learned are far from agreeing in their opinions ; but various statements have been ventured upon by different writers, from the early to our own days. A received opinion is, that they came from Britain ; but, from what particular part of it has not been determined. A Belgic origin has been assigned to them, likewise, and it has been supposed originally they were of German or Gothic extraction. [21] If such were the case, their previous manners and customs are best revealed in the descriptions left us by the early classic writers, aided by modern investigators. [22] Some think that by Clan Bolus are meant the Belgæ of Britain, who, having passed over from Belgium, or from Lower Germany, spread themselves over the countries of Somerset, Wilton, and the interior of Haverford ; and that the British language, which they made use of in Ireland, was eloquently and expressively designated Belgaid, intimating it to be a Belgic idiom. Another supposition has it, that the name Firbolg is connected with superstition, and derived from the worship which this people paid their gods. For, in the language of the Celts, the Germans, and all the northern nations, it is thought, that Bel stood for Sol or Apollo, the sun j and this deity was indiscriminately called Bal, Beal, and Sol, intimating his dominion as lord of the world. This idea they are said to have received from the Phœnicians, the authors of such superstition, who in the excess of their false zeal scrupled not to offer human sacrifices to their Baal, though he afterwards condescended to acquiesce in the substitution of brute immolation. [23] Others would have them called Bolgæ, from bolg, “ a quiver,” as if excelling in archery ; others state bolg means a “ leathern pouch,” or “ bag ;' others deduce their name from the Irish word bol,“apoet,”or “ sage,” as they were eminent in these respective characters. Another ingenious derivation of the name, [24] found in the Irish version of Nennius, [25] Viri Bullorum, suggests a possibility of their having been so designated, because they carried shepherds’ crooks. [26] If we follow the accounts of certain writers, those people were distinguished into three nations, or tribes, viz., Firbolgæ, [27] Firdomnan, [28] and Firgalion, [29] generally interpreted, Clan Bolus, Clan Domnan, and Clan Gallon. These are said to have been of Nemed’s race. The Firbolg, or Bolgæ, are thought to have established themselves at first in the neighbour- hood of Wexford and Wicklow, on the south-east of Ireland. These Teutonic people are said to have divided the whole island into five great provinces, over which they established a sort of royal sway. [30] A colony of Firbolgs, it would appear, had been settled in the district of Hy-Many, pro- vince of Connaught, long before the introduction of the Christian religion, and probably for a long time previous to the beginning of the fifth century. The Firbolgs, as also the Tuatha De Danann tribes of Ireland, were accustomed to build not only their fortresses and sepulchres, but also their houses of stone, without cement, and in the style, now usually called Cyclopean and Pelasgic. [31] The Firbolgs were certainly in Hy-Many during the reign of Duach Gallach, who was supreme ruler over these parts. It has been said, that the literal meaning of Iath Maine is the country or inheritance of Maneus, who first gave it a distinctive appellation ; and, as we are told, this territory takes its origin from Maney-Mor, or Maneus the Great, one of the Milesian race, who conquered— about the year of Christ, 450—the former inhabitants of that very considerable portion of Connaught.

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